Find Talking Books, Braille Books, and Magazines

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The staff at the Kentucky Talking Book Library is always willing to help you select books or to select books for you. Please call or email your librarian to discuss the books you like to read. If you prefer to choose your own books you can search the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) online catalog to find things you would like to read. Click here for instructions on searching the catalog and a list of the materials available:

If you would like a list of the most recent talking books added to our collection, see Talking Book Topics, a bimonthly publication listing our newest audio titles. To request a large print or audio subscription to Talking Book Topics, please contact your librarian and she will start a subscription for you. If you would prefer to read the latest issue of Talking Book Topics online, click here: Current issue of Talking Book Topics

If you would like a list of the most recent Braille books added to our collection, see Braille Book Review, a bimonthly publication listing our newest Braille titles. To request a large print or Braille subscription to Braille Book Review, please contact your librarian and she will start a subscription for you. If you would prefer to read the latest issue of Braille Book Review online, click here: Current Issue of Braille Book Review

To order talking books and Braille books from the online catalog, Braille Book Review or Talking Book Topics please record the book number and contact your librarian with the request. You can not request books directly from the online catalog or Talking Book Topics, you will need to call or email KTBL to request any titles that interest you.​

Special Kentucky Books Collection

The Kentucky Talking Book Library has an in-house recording studio to record books with a Kentucky connection. The Kentucky collection includes fictional stories that take place in Kentucky and Appalachia or are written by authors with a strong connection to the Commonwealth. The Kentucky collection also includes non-fiction books of Kentucky history, biographies of famous Kentuckians, Kentucky true crime stories and Kentucky sports books. If you would like more information about our Kentucky collection, please call your librarian.

You can also search the NLS online catalog or BARD for Kentucky books. To order Kentucky books please record the book number and contact your librarian with the request.

Magazines in Special Format

The Kentucky Talking Book library offers our registered users subscriptions to many magazines on digital cartridge and in Braille. We also offer audio magazines for download on the BARD website. To request a subscription to any of our magazines contact the library. For an online list of magazines available on digital cartridge and for download see the current issue of Talking Book Topics. For a list of available Braille magazines see the current issue of Braille Book Review.

For a full list of all magazines available through NLS see their website here: Magazine available through NLS. Please note that some magazines are only available in one format.

Accessible Newspapers

The Kentucky Talking Book Library partners with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) to offer NFB-Newsline®. NFB-Newsline® is a free service that gives any print disabled person access to select newspapers, magazines and TV listings using a touch-tone phone or a secure text-only website. If you are a member of the Kentucky Book Library and would like to register for NFB-Newsline®, contact your librarian. Visit the NFB website for more information about this service here: NFB Newsline website.

National Library Service Music Section

Note: Recorded music intended solely for listening pleasure is readily available from stores and local public libraries - it is not available from NLS.

The NLS Music Section offers music scores in Braille, large print, and Web-Braille, as well as instructional recordings about music and musicians. The service also includes a popular series of courses to teach listeners to play instruments such as the banjo, harmonica, guitar and recorder. Your talking book account must be in good standing to use this service. If you are interested, please contact your librarian or click here for more information: NLS Music Section

To participate in the NLS music service you must be registered with the Kentucky Talking Book Library. If you would like an application for service please contact us or print a PDF application from our eligibility and application page.​